Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to support the Northern Forest initiative.

As part of the 25 Year Environment Plan, we are providing £5.7 million to support the existing Northern Forest Partnership of the Community Forests and the Woodland Trust to accelerate and further develop the Northern Forest. Specifically, this kick-start investment is funding the planting of at least 1.8 million new trees across the Northern Forest by 2022.

We continue to work with the Northern Forest Partnership to identify, develop and implement delivery models to ensure new trees are planted in the places of greatest need and that these trees are well managed and maintained for current and future generations to enjoy and benefit from.